Ainslie edge closer to top two in AFL Canberra thriller

Rarely has Ainslie Tricolours coach Chris Rourke been so glad to hear the final siren.

The Ainslie Tricolours have held their place in the top two with an 18-point win over the Queanbeyan Tigers at Margaret Donoghoe Oval on Sunday.

But the Tricolours didn't have it easy with Queanbeyan mounting a late fightback that ultimately fell short, with Ainslie's 11.12 (78) to 8.12 (60) triumph all but assuring them of a top two finish with two rounds left in the regular season.

But as Rourke puts it, they will "have to do the right thing by ourselves" over the next fortnight and not let up against two teams with little to play for in Tuggeranong and Gungahlin.

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"They were coming, they were coming pretty hard and we lost a bit of composure in the last quarter and they took advantage of it. It was a good game, I’m glad the siren rang," Rourke said.

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"They’ll certainly take some beating in the finals I think, they’re a fairly good outfit. It was a really good game of footy, it’s always hard out here and Queanbeyan are a really good side. They took it right up to us.

"It’s always nice to lock in a second chance so hopefully we do the right thing by ourselves and win the next two and go into the finals. It’s been a good fightback from where we were."

Ainslie forward Nick Paine booted five goals in his 150th game and proved just how vital he is to the Tricolours in a memorable battle against Queanbeyan star Josh Bryce.

But Paine's injury history means Rourke can't afford to get used to seeing the Tricolours veteran kicking bags as Ainslie mount a charge for a third consecutive flag.

Rhys Pollock looks to get the ball away.Credit:Jamila Toderas

"He’s a minute by minute, and at the moment he is good," Rourke said.

"He’s just so important to us, he got us off to a flyer and he kicked beautifully. A couple of other forwards struggled but he was good.

"He played really well, he was on fire early but then they put Bryce on him and he played really well as well. It was good. It was a really even performance from our team and their backs played really well."

Aaron Wiles won the Muir Medal as best on ground as the Tricolours midfield clicked into gear on the run home, but it was an opposition duo in Anthony Lo Pilato and Matthew Bernasconi that Rourke showered with praise.

Tigers coach Dave Corcoran says "if it wasn't for them, he game wouldn’t have been as close as what the scoreboard reflected at the end".

"Ainslie jumped us with the first couple of goals in the first couple of goals through Paine and that was the margin for the whole day, anywhere between two and four goals," Corcoran said.

"We gave away a couple of 50s that resulted in goals and we just couldn’t get closer than a goal.

"Brycey was pretty good down back and that was just a really good match-up. Paine just reads the footy so well and you can’t give him any space.

"Ainslie’s midfield was fantastic, they won clearance after clearance and gave their forwards the first opportunity."